Fred Hutch collaboration reveals molecular vulnerability in rare childhood brain cancer

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Researchers from two labs at Fred Hutch Cancer Center have published studies aimed at better understanding how a gene fusion called ZFTA-RELA drives a rare and deadly type of brain tumor in children called ependymomas. The team used innovative methods to map the underlying biology of these tumors, confirm their findings in a mouse model, and identify a new molecular vulnerability that could be targeted with drugs.

Why it matters

Ependymomas are a rare and aggressive type of brain cancer that primarily affect young children. Current treatments, which rely on surgery and radiation, have limited effectiveness. The discovery of a new molecular target for these tumors could lead to the development of more effective and less toxic therapies.

The details

The research was a collaboration between the labs of rare cancer expert Taran Gujral, PhD, and brain cancer researcher Eric Holland, MD, PhD, who directs the Human Biology Division at Fred Hutch. The team used an approach pioneered in the Holland Lab that classifies tumors based on their underlying biology rather than their appearance under a microscope. They integrated gene expression data from over 1,200 tumor samples and used computational tools to create a detailed reference map of the molecular subtypes of ependymoma and medulloblastoma, another pediatric brain cancer. This allowed them to identify key differences between the two diseases, including the ZFTA-RELA gene fusion that drives a particularly lethal form of ependymoma.

• The research was recently published in the journals PNAS and Neuro-Oncology in March 2026.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The researchers plan to further investigate the molecular vulnerabilities of the ZFTA-RELA gene fusion in ependymoma tumors, with the goal of developing new targeted therapies for this rare and deadly form of childhood brain cancer.